Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima has commended chaplains in various organs of the State for being a beacon of hope, care and comfort for the citizenry.
Speaking during the closure of a conference at Daeyang Luke University in Lilongwe, Dr Chilima said it is important that the chaplains’ ministry be spread across public institutions to deal with emerging issues such as mental health.
“We need chaplains in our health facilities whose heroism amid Covid 19 we will never forget as they gave messages of hope not only to patients but also to the health workers,” said Dr Chilima.
National Chaplaincy of Malawi (COCHAM) vice president, Pastor Jim Nazombe, emphasized the importance of having trained chaplains as issues affecting society are becoming more complex.
“Training is very important because there are a lot of issues that require the presence of chaplains,” Pastor Nazombe said.
The five-day COCHAM Second International Conference was attended by delegates from Zambia, Zimbabwe and the host Malawi brought together the chaplains to brainstorm on how best they can serve their communities by providing hope and spiritual care.
During the conference, COCHAM signed an agreement with Daeyang Luke University that will see the university offering a certificate in chaplaincy in near future.
COCHAM was established in 2018 to among others enhance spiritual care in various institutions including hospitals, churches, the military, prisons and the police among others.
